GP 16-01-03 Protection of Electrical Equipment in Petrochemical Plant Environments March 2006

Protection of Electrical Equipment in

Petrochemical Plant Environments
GP 16-01-03

Scope
1) [I] This Global Practice (GP) contains requirements for the protection of electrical equipment in
petrochemical plant environments.
2) [I] An asterisk (*) indicates that additional information is required. If a job is contracted, this
additional information will be furnished in the Job Specification.

Refining/Chemicals, Downstream
For ExxonMobil Use Only Version 2.0.0
Imperial Oil

Page 1 of 7 ExxonMobil Development Company

 GP 16-01-03 Protection of Electrical Equipment in Petrochemical Plant Environments March 2006

Table of Contents

1. General ................................................................................................................... 3
1.1. Environments................................................................................................ 3
1.2. Protective Measures Approval ...................................................................... 3
2. Conditions and Protective Treatments................................................................ 3
2.1. Extreme Moisture ......................................................................................... 3
2.2. Marine Exposure .......................................................................................... 4
2.3. Copper-Attacking Fumes .............................................................................. 4
2.4. Solvents and Corrosive Chemicals ............................................................... 4
2.5. Conducting and Corrosive Dusts .................................................................. 5
2.6. Powders and Nonconducting Material .......................................................... 5
Record of Change ......................................................................................................... 6

Attachment: Purpose Codes Definitions.................................................................... 7

RFCH, DIOL For ExxonMobil Use Only Version 2.0.0

Page 2 of 7 ExxonMobil Development Company

 GP 16-01-03 Protection of Electrical Equipment in Petrochemical Plant Environments March 2006

1. General
1.1. Environments
[I] The following environments are included in this GP:
1) Extreme moisture, environments promoting fungus growth, deterioration of hygroscopic materials,
and accelerated corrosion
2) Marine exposure promoting corrosion by salt spray or the presence of chlorides in the air
3) Copper-attacking contaminant leakage, such as ammonia and acetylene, and hydrogen sulfide
4) Solvent and corrosive chemical spillage and spray areas
5) Conducting and corrosive dust fallout areas, as in fertilizer plants
6) Powder and nonconducting material fallout areas, as in polypropylene and polyethylene plants

1.2. Protective Measures Approval

1) * [R] Contractor shall develop and specify those protective measures most suitable for the plant
location. These protective measures may involve the following:
a) Selection of materials and coatings from Vendor's available options
b) Use of localized temperature/humidity control and air filtering
c) Modifications to plot layout
d) Use of moisture-resistant insulating materials and increased creepage distances
e) Requiring extensive use of space heaters
2) Means of protection and details of materials and design shall be approved by the Owner's Engineer.

2. Conditions and Protective Treatments

2.1. Extreme Moisture
1) * [R] When a plant location is specified to be tropical or subtropical, exposure to extreme moisture
shall be assumed.
2) [R] Certain classes of electrical equipment may require special treatment or protection, or both, in
order to guard against extreme moisture conditions and fungus growth. Contractor shall determine
what equipment requires special treatment and/or protection and the extent to which special treatment
or protection is required.

RFCH, DIOL For ExxonMobil Use Only Version 2.0.0

Page 3 of 7 ExxonMobil Development Company

 GP 16-01-03 Protection of Electrical Equipment in Petrochemical Plant Environments March 2006

2.2. Marine Exposure

* [R] Exposed insulators in marine exposure may require protection if fog or drizzle follows sunny days'
accumulation of salt spray. Protective measures shall be the same as for conducting and corrosive dusts
as described in Section 2.5.

2.3. Copper-Attacking Fumes

1) [O], [R] Acetylene—Protection against acetylide formation shall be required for all copper, silver, or
gold not isolated from atmospheric contact in acetylene manufacturing plants.
2) [R] Hydrogen Sulfide—Protection against copper oxidation shall be required in hydrodesulfurization
plants and any other hydrogen sulfide producing units. The following protective measures shall be
taken:
a) All underground electrical conduit installation entering a power distribution building shall be
sealed. Also, all conduit stub-ups to electrical equipment, such as power transformers, motors,
motor controllers, disconnect switches, etc., in the field shall be sealed.
b) Exposed copper, such as ground busses, shall be coated.
c) Enclosures containing exposed electrical connections shall be sealed or pressurized.
d) Exposed electrical connections shall be insulated or coated.
e) For substations, control buildings, and other enclosures for power, control, and instrumentation,
the best method for minimizing exposure to ambient air containing H2S shall be used. Method
may be use of air conditioning, pressurizing from clean air source, air filtering, etc.

2.4. Solvents and Corrosive Chemicals

1) [R] Protection is required for cables exposed frequently or for prolonged periods to materials that will
degrade cable insulation. Plasticized and rubber-like insulation may be degraded by acids, aromatics,
cycloparaffins, phenol, and other materials with highly solvent properties.
a) Frequent exposure shall be assumed for aboveground cables within striking or splashing distance
of likely point of leakage such as pump glands and valves.
b) Prolonged exposure shall be assumed for underground cables in areas where spills and
washdowns can occur, unless the entire area involved is concrete paved and drained. Spills or
washdowns are assumed to occur around pumps, storage tanks, and loading facilities.
2) [R] Cables in aboveground conduits are considered protected, whereas cables in underground
conduits are not considered protected. Cables requiring protection shall be rerouted to avoid exposure
insofar as possible.
a) When routing cannot provide protection, cables shall be protected from attack by protective
sheaths or jackets.
b) Lead sheaths are suitable for most agents; nylon jackets for some.
c) Neoprene alone is not an acceptable jacket.

RFCH, DIOL For ExxonMobil Use Only Version 2.0.0

Page 4 of 7 ExxonMobil Development Company

 GP 16-01-03 Protection of Electrical Equipment in Petrochemical Plant Environments March 2006

2.5. Conducting and Corrosive Dusts

1) * [I] Plants in which conductive or corrosive solids are ground, crushed, mixed, dried, bagged,
loaded, conveyed, or otherwise handled in a way likely to release dust, shall be considered as
exposing the electrical facilities to dust exposure. Other plants may be specified to have dust
exposure from neighboring facilities.
2) [R] Floor troughs and floor raceways shall not be used for cableways in dusty locations.
3) [R] Cable supports, for other than completely enclosed wiring systems in dusty locations, shall be of a
design that allows essentially continuous access along the runs for cleaning.
a) Cable ladders are acceptable.
b) Wireways are not acceptable.
c) Cable trays are acceptable only without covers and with the wide face mounted vertically.
4) [M], [R] Exposed insulators and bushings, such as in open wire lines and outdoor switchyards, shall
be avoided in dusty locations if possible. If exposed insulators or bushings must be used in dusty
locations, the following shall govern:
a) A dust diagram shall be prepared by Contractor showing predicted fallout density pattern.
b) Plant layout shall be arranged as far as practical to keep the vulnerable equipment in areas of
minimum fallout.
c) Conversion to cable and enclosed equipment shall be used as far as practical, for example,
lightning arresters.
d) Wide-skirt fog-type insulators shall be used.
e) Clearances in dually fed switchyards shall be sufficient to permit safe and convenient cleaning of
the insulators and bushings of either feed, with the other in service, by personnel without
electrical training.
f) Overinsulation shall not normally be used, and then only for conditions of light fallout.

2.6. Powders and Nonconducting Material

[R] Electrical equipment in powder handling plants shall be enclosed in a pressurized, well-filtered
enclosure or building. The requirements of Section 2.5 shall apply. Top entry of conduit into enclosures
is permitted if the powder is noncorrosive.

RFCH, DIOL For ExxonMobil Use Only Version 2.0.0

Page 5 of 7 ExxonMobil Development Company

GP 16-01-03 Protection of Electrical Equipment in Petrochemical Plant Environments March 2006

Record of Change
Version 1.0.0 Date: 07/01
Location Action Description
Initial Publish.

Version 1.0.0 Date: 07/03

Global Practice version number and format updated to comply with new
process; however, original publish date remains, and no content was
modified.

Version 2.0.0 Date: 03/06

GP Title Modification Changed title of GP.
Scope (Item 1) Modification Replaced term "contaminated environments" with "petrochemical plant
environments" and removed term "additional" preceding "requirements."
Section 1.1 Modification Deleted the word "contaminated" from first sentence.
(Item 1)
Section 1.2 Modification Changed purpose codes. Added moisture mitigation measures.
Section 2.1 Modification Changed purpose codes. Added "subtropical" to Item 1.

RFCH, DIOL For ExxonMobil Use Only Version 2.0.0

Page 6 of 7 ExxonMobil Development Company

GP 16-01-03 Protection of Electrical Equipment in Petrochemical Plant Environments March 2006

Attachment: Purpose Codes Definitions

Code Description
C Assigned to paragraphs containing specifications whose primary purpose is reduced costs.
Reduced cost in this context refers to initial investment cost and does not include Life-Cycle
cost considerations. Life-Cycle cost considerations are captured under reliability,
maintainability, or operability purpose codes.
E Assigned to paragraphs containing specifications whose primary purpose is driven by
environmental considerations. Environmental considerations typically include specifications
intended to protect against emissions/leakage to the air, water, and/or soil. Deviations from the
specifications contained in such paragraphs require formal review and approval according to
local environmental policy.
I Assigned to paragraphs that provide only clarifying information such as Scope statements,
definitions of terms, etc.
M Assigned to paragraphs containing specifications whose primary purpose is to provide for
maintainability of equipment or systems. Maintainability provisions are those that facilitate the
performance of maintenance on equipment/systems either during downtimes or during on-
stream operations.
O Assigned to paragraphs containing specifications whose primary purpose is to assure
operability of equipment or systems. Operability is the ability of the equipment/system to
perform satisfactorily even though conditions are off-design, such as during start-ups, process
swings, subcomponent malfunction, etc.
R Assigned to paragraphs containing specifications whose primary purpose is to improve or
assure the reliability of equipment or systems. Reliability is a measure of the ability of
equipment/systems to operate without malfunction or failure between planned maintenance
interventions.
S Assigned to paragraphs containing specifications whose primary purpose is avoidance of
personnel or operational safety incidents. Any deviation from the specifications contained in
such designated paragraphs requires formal review and approval according to local safety
policy.
Personnel Safety: Refers to the avoidance of recordable personnel injuries—e.g., burns,
cuts, abrasions, inhalation, or exposure to dangerous substances, etc., that
could result in medical treatment, restricted work, lost-time incidents, or
fatalities.
Operational Refers to the prevention and control of process releases, fires, explosions,
Safety: etc.

RFCH, DIOL For ExxonMobil Use Only Version 2.0.0

Page 7 of 7 ExxonMobil Development Company